Frequent gambling losses at area casinos apparently led Chargers safety Terrence Kiel to seek other means of income, including the shipping of codeine-based cough syrup that got him arrested last year, law enforcement authorities said.

Officials were told in their investigation that gambling is “exactly what caused the problem, that he was in over his head because he gambles too much,” San Diego Deputy District Attorney Damon Mosler said.

Kiel, 26, is due in court today for a trial readiness hearing on five felony charges related to the cough syrup matter. Kiel's attorney, Bob Grimes, said he hoped to reach a deal with prosecutors and the judge, and that it could include Kiel's addressing of the gambling issue.

“The issue of gambling may be addressed,” Grimes said. “But we don't know for sure. That's one of the things that could be part of the deal or it could not be.”

Law enforcement sources said gambling was suspected because selling codeine-based cough syrup isn't very lucrative and that records show Kiel had dozens of cash transactions of at least $10,000 each at area casinos.

Grimes declined to address the specifics of the gambling issue.

Kiel also has been under investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement for transactions involving counterfeit Nike shoes from China. Grimes said he didn't expect charges in that case.

Said General Manager A.J. Smith: “We are very much aware of Terrence's personal and legal situation. We think it's best he addresses them, not us.”

While Kiel has one year remaining on his contract, it appears unlikely he will return to the Chargers in 2007.

Smith would not address whether Kiel would be a Charger beyond this month, but he said recently in response to a question about Kiel's status with the team: “We've had a lot of problems this year, and we'll clean up a little bit of our mess.”

Gambling issues with players long have been a concern for the NFL, which considers them a threat to its security and integrity.

Kiel's salary was $460,000 last year, his fourth with the Chargers. He signed a six-year, $3.71 million contract as a rookie, which included a $1.25 million signing bonus.

Mosler said prosecutors and the judge could ask Kiel to do community service as part of any deal that is reached. Such community service could include speaking on the dangers of drugs or gambling.

“The idea is not to see him again,” Mosler said.

Records show Kiel has struggled with financial problems in the past year. On Sept. 7, a notice of default was filed by a loan corporation against Kiel, seeking payment of $16,610 from a $591,634 mortgage. The property no longer is being foreclosed. In 2005, Kiel obtained a $50,000 home equity line of credit. When $49,438 became due, Kiel “refused to pay,” according to the lender. The case was settled in April.

Prosecutors allege Kiel was illegally obtaining codeine-based cough syrup from a friend, Hope Devina Vines, who worked at a San Diego pharmacy and was stealing it from her employer. Vines, a licensed pharmacy technician at Sharp Rees-Stealy in San Diego, has been arrested on felony charges of theft and possession of a controlled substance in connection with the case. Kiel and Vines have pleaded not guilty and both are expected in court today.

Kiel was arrested in September after Drug Enforcement Administration agents intercepted two express mail packages containing 18 pint bottles full of the drug. Authorities said Kiel admitted to shipping the cough syrup to his native Texas, where it can sell for up to $325 on the street and where it is mixed with soft drinks.

Get this guy outta here ASAP! Kiel is clearly a little short in the common sense department. Not because it's come out that he has a gambling problem, but rather, because of the pattern of poor decision making. Make an example of him and get this bad influence out of our locker room.

Get this guy outta here ASAP! Kiel is clearly a little short in the common sense department. Not because it's come out that he has a gambling problem, but rather, because of the pattern of poor decision making. Make an example of him and get this bad influence out of our locker room.

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Exactly. And in hindsight, there may have been more to his shooting in Houston. I always thought it was fishy how somebody would get shot over the crappy car he was driving at the time, in broad daylight outside of a shopping mall.

The Associated Press reports Nevada's legal sports books profited off of Super Bowl XLI as gamblers wagered a near-record $93.1 million. The state's Gaming Control Board showed Nevada's 176 licensed books won $12.9 million, a 13.9 percent win percentage. The betting handle was just under the record $94.5 million set in 2006. The books won $8.8 million for a 9.3 percent winning percentage last year.

Terrance Kiel, a Chargers safety, pleaded guilty Wednesday morning to a felony and a misdemeanor charge and was ordered to perfom 100 hours of community service in which he is to speak about the dangers of drugs and gambling.

He was arrested in September by Drug Enforcement Administration agents who said they had intercepted 18 one-pint bottles of a codeine-based cough syrup he had shipped to Texas, where he is from and where the drug can sell for up to $325 on the street.

The 26-year-old Kiel's felony conviction will be dismissed if he performs the volunteer work by his Aug. 7 sentencing date.

I think so too...his codeine was headed to the street to be purchased and consumed by unthinking immature kids...and too much codeine in any form can kill by stopping breathing...he's just a drug dealer in my book...for a few bucks he'll take the chance of some naive 15 year old accidently overdosing on codeine-laced Pepsi. I hope he never wears a Charger uniform again. He got off easy.

Its just a warning on my part for folks to be careful. I've seen folks loose everything to gambling and its not pretty. But it is fun if you can handle it. I just worry about folks cause some think they can handle it but it messes them up.